Avatar - New Horizon
by SAmaster01
Summary: It is time for a new Avatar, one from the Earth Kingdom. The world is now filled with many new and odd things, space travel, computers, rock music, and saturday morning anime. The story will follow the new Avatar learn the elements, make friends and allies, travel the world, and maybe save the world.
1. Last Day of School

_Fire. Air. Water. Earth. Heart. With your powers combined I am- PLANETMAN! Defender of truth! Justice! And all that is good in this world!_

"Boys are you ready for school yet."

"In a minute mom!" Sheng-Li said, as he scooped another spoonful of cereal into his mouth.

"You two don't want to be late for your last day of school do you?"

"No mom!" He-Ping said, his eyes stayed glued to the television set.

"Have you two fed Ronin yet?"

"Yes mom!" Sheng-Li said.

"Okay, now remember, I'll be working late tonight, so you'll have to make dinner for yourselves tonight, is that okay?"

"Okay mom!"

_Dr. Evil! Your plan will not prevail this day, or any other day! For I! Planetman! Shall defeat you!_

_I'd like to see you try to thwart my doomsday plans Planetman!_

* * *

The two brothers soon left the moment the credits started rolling at the end of the anime, and bolted out the door so they could catch their bus to school, barely getting to the stop in time.

The sat together in the back, their bags between their legs, discussing the end of their favorite show.

"So what'd you think?" Asked Sheng-Li the older brother, 16.

"The way Planetman destroyed Dr. Evil's base, and saved the orphans? I can't believe the Planetman team managed to save the day." Said He-Ping, the younger brother, 15.

The bus continued to make it's rounds through the suburbs, the fresh spring air wafting through the open windows.

"How'd you think you did on the exams?" Sheng-Li asked.

"Probably as good as last year." He-Ping said. What about you?"

"I probably bombed again, mom'll give me an earful if she finds out."

"You mean when."

"I mean if."

The two were as similar as they come, wearing the same secondhand sneakers, the same secondhand jeans, the same second hand shirt, and the same cheap haircut. Sheng-Li had only a small height and build advantage over his brother, sharing his brown hair color, green eyes, and tan skin tone. About the only thing to set them apart was Sheng-Li's grey military jacket, with green markers, and He-Ping's green hoodie with the Earth Kingdom symbol on the back.

"So another year of school out of the way huh?" Sheng-Li said.

"Yep. Go's by quick."

"Enjoy it little brother, these are the best years of our life."

The bus made it's rounds throughout the various burgs and suburbs of the boys small and unimpressive small town, spring breezes blowing through the windows, bringing in scents of freshly bloomed flowers, and seasonal allergies. The bus' regular stops and starts brought with it it's sense of regularity and routine.

"So, hey, aren't the White Lotus going to be making rounds throughout the school this year?" Sheng-Li said.

"Yeah and?" He-Ping asked.

"And I just thought it might be cool if someone we knew turned out to be the Avatar." Sheng-Li explained. "I mean that person'd know so many cool people, and go to so many cool places, imagine the favors we could get?"

"Yeah, but what kind of Avatar would do any favors for us?" He-Ping asked.

"Don't limit yourself to the possibilities, think of the oppurtunities!" Sheng-Li stated.

"Well it would be nice to know someone like that, a real life superhero, who saves the world just like Planetman."

"Exactly like Planetman."

"So long as it doesn't end up being someone like Huang." He-Ping said shuddering.

"Man, I fear for the world if that's the case." Sheng-Li said. "Can you imagine?"

"No, and I really, _really_ don't want to."

With that the bus finally managed to reach their school, a thoroughly unimpressive brick and concrete building with an Earth Kingdom Banner on a pole out front. Together they got off with the other students, and entered the building to head to their respective classes.

* * *

"Of these space objects, we have Comets, Asteroids, Meteoroids, Meteors, and Meteorites." The science teacher, Mr. Cho droned. "Comets orbit between the Sun and the Planet, and are characterized by their signature trail caused by the burning debris. The Famous Sozins Comet that marked the beginning and end of the Hundred Year War, last seen fifty years ago, has in more recent times actually been recategorized as a Meteor that passes through the Planets atmosphere on it's centennial journey."

Sheng-Li struggled to stay awake. Of all the teachers at this school, trust Mr. Cho to stretch out the last day of school.

"Another such object is expected to pass between the Planet and the moon in the near future, being named Xishuan-1, named after the Ba-Sing-Se astronomer who discovered it. However as opposed to Sozin's comet, it is expected to have far less noticeable effects, aside from some minor tidal changes. Meteorites on the other hand are categorized differently from Meteors, in that-"

Mr. Cho continued his lecture, as all his students did their best to sleep through it. Sheng-Li turned to see his younger brother, three desks over, looking uneasy, nervously jotting down notes. This peeked Sheng-Li's interest, as his brother was hardly one to study, especially on the last day of the year.

He-Ping continued to give nervous glances behind him, which Sheng-Li followed before finding what he surmised was the root of his brothers anxiety. There was sitting Haung, the dreaded himself, leaning back in his chair, giving a death glare to his brother, and pounding his fist into his hand.

Sheng-Li sighed, and glanced at the clock, seeing class would be (thankfully) ending soon. He packed away his school supplies into his bag, and waited for the bell to ring.

"So as you can see class, Meteoroids stay in the blank void of space, whereas Meteor's-" Mr. Cho was interrupted by the sharp ring of the bell. "That will be all class. I hope you have an enjoyable break."

Sheng-Li wasted no time in walking into his brother, and dragging him out the door, before anyone else could do anything.

"Hey, hey, what's the big deal?" He-Ping asked as tried to keep pace as his brother refused to let go, and other students began filing out of their classes.

"I noticed that Haung, you know, the big jock, bully, Pro-Bender athlete, guy, who would likely give Dr. Evil a run for his money if he turns out to be avatar, was giving you some less than savory looks." Sheng-Li said.

"Oh, yeah, that." He-Ping said.

"And I got a bad feeling about that."

"Yeah, well you see-"

"Did you get yourself into some more trouble?" He asked.

"Okay, well you know that stupid thing I did last week?" He-Ping stated.

"You're going to have to be more specific." Sheng-Li said, as he carried his little brother to his locker.

"Okay, remember how you told me not to dig into who May-Ling was dating, and I did anyway, and I went in got into trouble with her new boyfriend?" He-Ping began to explain.

"Yes."

"Well, turns out that May-Ling is now dating Huang, and he promised that he was going to kill me on the last day of school."

"Crap." Sheng-Li stated, hitting himself on the forehead in frustration as He-Ping started sorting his stuff in and out of his locker.

"Basically." He-Ping said, peeling off his Galaxy Rangers poster, and stuffing it into his bag. "I think I can take him."

"You can't be serious." Sheng-Li told him.

"Hey, I'm a decent Earth-Bender, right?"

"And he's a great Earth-Bender, who get's hit in the head with rocks for _fun_. Who fights dirty."

"Well I'm not gonna run." He-Ping said, slamming his locker, and slinging his bag over his shoulder.

"Yeah you're gonna run! If mom finds out you got into a fight, she'll kill you." Sheng-Li implored.

"I'm not gonna be a coward." He-Ping said sharply, walking to his next class. "It's against my code."

"What code?"

"My code as an official member of the Galaxy Rangers reserves."

Sheng-Li hit his brother on the back of the head.

"Hey! Do you know how many boxes of cereal I had to eat before getting that membership?"

"Look, I'm not letting you get into a fight with that monster. At least not alone."

"Look, bro, I appreciate the gesture, trust me, I really do, I know you'll always be there for me, but this is something I have to do by myself."

"Why?" Sheng-Li asked.

"Why not?" He-Ping responded.

"Because it's stupid, it'll prove nothing, and more importantly, you'll _die._"

"There are some things I just gotta do by myself." He-Ping told him, stopping in front of his next class. "Look, just let it go. I know it's stupid, but I have to stand up for myself, no one else will."

"_No-one?_" Sheng-Li asked dubiously.

"Okay, nobody but you, but you don't count." He-Ping said. "Look, can you just let it go?"

"Fine, okay." Sheng-Li said. "It's obvious I'm never going to be able to convince you otherwise."

"Thanks Sheng." He-Ping said, before going into his next class."

* * *

At lunch, the Cafeteria:

"It's just so stupid." Sheng-Li said, between mouthfuls of rice. "He's like twice your height. His muscles weigh more than you do. And hasn't he shoved you in a locker, like three times?"

"All the more reason to stand up to him." He-Ping stated, sipping from his milk carton. "Show him that I won't take his abuse standing up. Besides, he wouldn't have been able to shove me in a locker if you agreed to learn how to metal-bend with me."

Sheng-Li sighed, trying to swallow his food. "Fine, he won't be abusing you lying down, he'll be abusing you standing up, which for your information, probably hurts more."

"Sheng-Li, do you ever think about the future?"

"Not if I can help it." Sheng-Li responded.

"Twenty years from now, when we have colonies in the moon, and we live in computerized houses, do you still want to be one of the nerds who is still being bullied by people like Huang? Pushed around, still living in the same small town you were born in?"

"No Ping, twenty years from now, I still want to be alive." His brother explained to him. "And I think it would be nice, as aggravating as you are, if you were there too."

"Are you two boys having a little spat?" The two brothers stopped their arguing to turn at the beautiful girl with about as much chemicals in her raven hair as the neighboring manufacturing plant.

"Hello May-Ling." He-Ping said tiredly.

"I heard from my Boyfriend that you and him have had a disagreement." She said. He-Ping stayed silent. "I hope you manage to resolve things with him, he can get so… aggressive when he has a disagreement with someone. Please do sort things out with him. Well then, buh-bye!" With that she sauntered off, her high heels clacking on the floor.

"Wow." Sheng-Li said. "There's a word for girls like her. If I were less of a gentlemen, I'd say it."

"You remember when May-Ling was that nice girl next door, who we would watch anime with?"

"Nope."

"Yeah, I figured as much."

"So not worth fighting for dude." Sheng-Li pointed out.

"I'm not fighting over her, I'm fighting for myself." He-Ping noted, drinking the rest of his milk.

"And that's so much better. So much less likely to get your face reconfigured into something our of Dr. Maniacal's Dreadful Tales."

"Oh come off it." He-Ping told him.

"No I will not, you know why? Because when mom get's home, and your sewing your face back on, I'm the one Mom's gonna blame for not talking you out of it."

"Oh like you've convinced me out of doing anything stupid before?"

"So you admit it's stupid?"

"I admit nothing." He-Ping said stubbornly.

* * *

After lunch, in the middle of the day, it was finally Sheng-Li's turn to be tested. He was called over the speaker system, left his math class, and walked down the hallways to where he was instructed to go. He found a line of Avatar candidates waiting outside of the empty classrooms where testing was being conducted, chatting excitedly or nervously. He joined them, keeping to himself, and waited his turn until his name was called.

He walked over to the tall woman who was holding a clipboard, and she ushered him in to the room, where it seemed weirdly quiet.

"Sheng-Li Pan?" Said a man with graying hair and a blue robe, sitting behind a desk.

"Yes?"

"Don't be shy, sit down." The man said. Sheng-Li obliged him. "Now don't worry, the test will be quick and informal."

"What are you going to do? Take a blood sample? Give me a psyche test?"

"Nothing so elaborate my dear boy, we prefer the older methods." The man said, producing a deck of cards about half an inch thick. He spread them out showing a variety of symbols on them. "All you need to do is draw five cards from this deck a few times. Feel free to talk if it makes you feel better."

"Okay." Sheng-Li stated. "So will you guys just 'know' if I get this right, or-"

"It's not a matter of getting it right young man. However, regardless of your 'results', we will still need to confer matters with other members of our order."

"Oh. Cool. So should I start then?"

The old man took the cards and reshuffled them, and spread them out on the desk face down. "Please go ahead."

"Fine." Sheng-Li said, picking a card completely at random. "So how do you guys know who to test? I mean do you just test anybody, or-?"

"Modern record keeping has been a tremendous help to our organization. With it, we have a good estimate of Earthbenders who were born across the globe during a certain point in time."

"Okay here." Sheng-Li said, presenting the man the cards he chose. The old man took a few moments to analyze the cards and record the results on a small notepad, before returning them to the deck, and reshuffling them.

"Again please."

"So what if you don't find the avatar during these tests?"

"Well, of course there is always the possibility that the next avatar was born in some remote corner of the earth, far from the trappings of civilization, but at the very least these tests serve as a good process of elimination."

"And done."

The old man took the cards once more, analyzed them once more, and recorded the results once more , a mysterious and unreadable expression lining his face.

"Very good Mr. Pan, you will hear our reports on your results shortly, you may go back to class."

* * *

It was the last class of the day, and try as he might, Sheng-Li was waxing philosophical.

His life was good, he mused as he stared out the window, and onto the school grounds. Sure, they could always use a little bit more money, but that's what part time jobs over the break were for. He didn't really want for much after all. Some good snacks, the odd collectable action figure, maybe rent a good VHS every now and again, enough to get a good game to play, maybe a proper long-term girlfriend. Some better grades would be nice too, while he was at it.

But as things were going, if his life did keep going the way it was, he wouldn't be too disappointed. Yeah, he expected to get a proper job at some point, his mother would force him if all else failed. Go get a college degree. Maybe he'd get real job at an office in the city or something. Find a wife, something like that.

He liked life the way it was. Yeah, there were bunch of little nuisances with his family, and with school, but that's the way life worked out right? He had a role to fill here, and he was happy with that.

Now if only his brother could keep from running off and doing stupid things that he needed him to be saved from. Like right now, were two meatheads were dragging him across the school grounds.

Sheng-Li rocketed straight up from his desk, and loudly proclaimed to the whole class a word that he rarely used, since he was nominally more of a gentleman.

"Mr. Pan!" His teacher said. The student in question grabbed his bag, and headed out the door. "Where are you going young man? Class is still in session!"

"Last day of school: who cares?" Sheng-Li said as his parting words.

Sheng-Li raced down the halls, barefacedly ignoring the plethora of signs advising him against such action, and took the most direct route outside, heading to the place where he had just seen his younger brother. He paused as the cool spring breeze blew through the grass, his brother or his executioners nowhere to be found.

"Okay, if I was a big-dumb-musclebound-meathead-bully where would I go?" Sheng-Li thought aloud. "Empty Gymnasium? Dirty Bathroom? School Rooftop? Not enough rocks to throw. Empty Parking Lot? Too out in the open. Everyone's inside school, so it'd have to be outside…"

Sheng-Li took off in the direction of the old abandoned sports field. The school got some more money a few years ago, and build a much newer and bigger sports field closer to the school with better equipment.

* * *

"Are you ready to give up yet?" He-Ping asked. He got another boulder launched into his stomach as a response, sending him sprawling.

"You are some kind of stupid aren't you." Huang asked. "Interrupting my date with that hottie May-Ling like that." For whatever reason, Huang's identical, and equally massive cronies found this funny, and chuckled cruelly.

"She deserves better than you." He-Ping said, with Huang's response to launch a pillar of earth into his back. "My turn." He-Ping said, bringing himself back on to his feet.

Huang kicked the earth spawning several rocks that Huang sent flying with his fists, aimed straight at He-Ping's head.

He-Ping ducked his head down, and protected his vitals as each rock hit him. He kept his stance strong, and dug his heels into the earth. He-Ping brought his own set of rocks up to his level, striking them at Huang, who easily knocked them aside, He-Ping launched the last one at his opponents feet, disrupting his stance. He-Ping then struck the ground with his heel, summoning a pillar of earth to strike his opponents back, putting him further off balance.

"Give up yet?" He-Ping said, preparing to continue his assault before Huang landed on the ground and with a series of punches to the ground, shook the ground, disrupting He-Ping's balance. He summoned a set of rocks to his arms, and launched forward and decked He-Ping, setting him for a course straight for the ground. Huang then got on top of him, his fist poised to strike again.

"You are the dumbest idiot alive, you know that?" Huang said. He then lifted his fist high above his head, and was about to strike before another boulder went flying, hitting him squarely on the head sending him flying off.

"I know, but he's my idiot." He-Ping got up as Huangs goons checked their fallen leader. His vision was blurry, but there plain to see was his older brother, standing triumphantly and angrily.

He walked over to He-Ping, and lifted him by the scruff of his neck. "I told you fighting him was a stupid idea."

"I told you not to help me." He-Ping said, readying his stance.

"Ah, since when have you ever convinced me not to do something stupid." Sheng-Li said, mimicking his brothers stance.

"Imma gonna kill both of you." Huang muttered as his goons helped him up.

"Were you so intimidated by my brother that you needed backup?" Sheng-Li taunted.

The three of them sent a volley of rocks heading right at them, the two brothers raised a wall of earth as a shield, blocking them. Sheng-Li dodged to the right, and sent a rock flying straight for the head of goon number 1, knocking him out. Huang and goon number two coated their arms in rocks, and went straight for a fist fight with Sheng-Li, who couldn't fend off two opponents at the same time.

He-Ping came out from the barricade, tripping the two in a small fissure, allowing Sheng-Li to back up enough to strike back. The two summoned boulders, and sent them straight for the two trapped bullies, bashing them in the head.

"You should have given up when I gave you the chance." He-Ping said triumphantly before collapsing. Sheng-Li immediately raced to his aid.

"So, you happy now?" Sheng-Li asked, helping He-Ping onto his shoulder, who simply muttered. "Good. Wanna head back home? I think school's over now." He-Ping grumbled again. "Smart idea. One moment." Sheng-Li helped his brother to his feet, and they walked over to where Huang lay unconscious. Sheng-Li gave him a swift kick before moving on.

The two ended up having to walk all the way home, as they had missed the school bus. After an exhausting journey, that served only to increase their aches, they finally made it to the their small and simple house in the suburbs. Sheng-Li took the key under the door-mat and used it to unlock the door, where the two boys promptly collapsed onto the couch.

"So that was a thing." Sheng-Li stated, leaning back.

"My everything hurts."

"Yeah but you didn't get yourself killed." Sheng-Li told him. "Your welcome by the way. Whattdya wanna do till mom comes back? Play something on the Playmaster? We could warmup some of mom's leftovers in the microwave. Heck, maybe we could order out, I mean we deserve it. We could watch a VHS, did we record that anime?"

"Thirsty." Sheng-Li said.

"Fine fine. Give me a few seconds." Sheng-Li grunted as he got up and walked around the couch and into the kitchen and got two plastic cups from the cabinets, took out a can of fruit soda, and poured it, and took the cups back to his brother, closing the door on his way back, placing the cups on the coffee table before collapsing on the couch again.

"Thanks." He-Ping said, slowly reaching for the cup, and taking a few gulps before coughing slightly "Oh, still hurts."

"I could use this." Sheng-Li said, looking at his cup fondly before he heard a knocking at the door.

"You should probably get that." He-Ping noted.

Sheng-Li grunted, and put back down his cup before marching to the door. He peered through the peephole and saw an old man in blue and white robes. With a shrug, Sheng-Li opened the door.

"Are you with the White Lotus?"

"Why yes I am young man." The old man said.

"I didn't expect to get my results back so soon. Or that you'd meet us in person." Sheng-Li said. "Alright then, go on, go ahead, and give us the bad news."

"This is the Pan residence correct? Home of Sheng-Li Pan, and He-Ping Pan."

"That is correct."

"And to whom am I currently addressing?" The old man asked.

"Sheng-Li Pan, call me Sheng." He explained giving him a short bow.

"And what of He-Ping?"

"Oh, he's just inside, on the couch." Sheng-Li explained.

"Might I step inside?" The old man asked.

"Of course, no prob." Sheng-Li stepped aside, and let the old man in, where he spotted He-Ping collapsed on the couch in the living room.

"May I take a seat?"

"Be my guest." Sheng-Li said, guiding him past the TV, and onto to a frumpy armchair. Sheng-Li joined his brother on the couch. "He's from the Order." He explained to He-Ping.

"I could see that doofus." He-Ping told him.

"Am I to assume that you are He-Ping Pan?" The order member asked.

"Yeah, I'm He-Ping Pan. Call me Ping."

"May I ask what happened to you?"

"Long story." He-Ping told him.

"Very well then." He said breathing deeply. "You two boys will likely be surprised to hear this, but after checking with our other Order members from across the country, there has yet to have been a successful result, that is except from your school today. I am sure I do not have to tell you that the reason I am here today, is because one of your tests was the successful one."

"You mean… one of us…?" Sheng-Li said.

"Yes, one of you is indeed the Avatar." Sheng-Li could barely comprehend the idea. All of a sudden his entire life seemed to tiny, standing at the precipice of this new information. "He-Ping Pan. You are the current Avatar."

Sheng-Li slowly turned to his brother, completely paralyzed, his mind in complete bewilderment. "Hey Ping, are you okay?"

Suddenly despite his sores, He-Ping leapt up, knocking over the coffee table. "I CAN'T BE THE AVATAR! MOM'LL KILL ME!"

* * *

**Authors** **Note:**

Helo and Welcome.

I'm not entirely sure how, but I got the inspiration for the next series for Avatar, with an Earth Avatar, set in a eighties/nineties period. I hope that came across, if not please tell me I failed. An English teacher recently told me I needed to work on scene-setting, so any advice regarding that would be nice.

My problem is that whenever I come up with an idea for a story, it's always a long overarching one, and then gradually I either lose resolve, or some disaster happens that wipes my current progress and I give up. I tell you this in warning, but I always start these things with the hope to finish them. Any feedback and help would be greatly appreciated. Now I have almost ten chapters written out in advance at the moment, but I think I could use some help for some plot ideas or elements. I have a good outline, I would just have problems getting from point A, to point B.

Anyway, if possible I would like to include elements from the eighties, who off how the world is different in culture and technology from the previous avatars, explore links between this age and the previous ones, and examples of more modern asia. problem is I have little idea how to do that, or at the very least nowhere near the scale that the writers of Avatar do.

Regardless any review would be greatly appreciated.

-Sincerely SAmaster01


	2. First Day of the Rest of Your Life

"All in all, you seem to be taking this information quite well Ms. Pan." The member of the White Lotus said.

"Well, I knew the day that those two boys brought in an Armadillo Lion asking if we could keep it that something was off with them." The boys mother said. She lay back in the kitchen with the Order member, still wearing her uniform from the restaurant, while the boys were on the couch in the living room. She held a resemblance to her sons testifying to their heritage, her hair was cut in a short ponytail, and her her eyes seemed rather dull. The mother, rooted in her pocket for a pack of cigarettes. "Do you mind if I have a smoke? I try not to when the boys are around, but I feel like this is a special occasion."

"By all means."

The mother then dug out a lighter, and lit her cigarette, blowing out a billowing of gray smoke. "So you're telling me that my little boy Ping is the master of all four elements, having lived ten thousand lifetimes, and is the bridge between the spirit world and material?"

"In a summation: Yes."

"Well doesn't that beat all." She said taking another drag from her cigarette. "So what are you going to do with him now?"

"Long ago, the Order dedicated themselves to protecting the world. Avatar Aang worked with our organization to bring peace to the world following the Hundred Years War, and we have been working with the Avatar ever since." He explained. "To that end, we plan to take the New Avatar, and teach him the bending arts required of him, so he can claim his rightful duty as the worlds protector."

Their mother took a long drag from her cigarette before responding. "Does Ping get a say in the matter?"

The White Lotus member failed to respond quickly, only managing to say: "It is his duty Ma'am."

"You plan on taking my son away from what family he has, from the only town he has ever known, to this great unfathomable destiny he can barely comprehend? Is that what you are saying? You a stranger, who by the way hasn't even had the decency to introduce himself to me before entering my home?"

"Wooling Ma'am." He told her. "And yes. I know it must seem cruel from your perspective, but the Avatar is needed in this world. All you need to do is to look at history to see the examples. If you wish to keep your son locked away from the world here, the world will suffer for it. And indeed, if you make it so, my Order may be forced to take action, and believe me, we would rather not."

She sighed, taking a for more breaths through her cigarette. "And you're sure out of all the Earthbenders in the world, it's my son?"

"It had to be someone's child Ma'am. That is simply the way of it."

"And this test? You couldn't have gotten it wrong?"

"Are you familiar with probability ma'am?" Wooling asked.

"My boys were studying it in their math classes just this year." She told him.

"Every nation has a different way to determine the identity of the Avatar. The ancient monks of the Air Nomads would give their children hundreds of toys to choose from when the time came, and if they chose the right ones, they were the Avatar. This is ment to trigger a residual memory from all there past lives. The Fire Nation would construct tools based on the four elements and their spirituality, to see how they would respond around prospective candidates."

"I assume there's a point to this history lesson." She said, nervously playing with her lighter.

Wooling smiled. "In the Earth Kingdom, we use a simple deck of cards. Each card holds a different face, out of a deck of fifty-two, you are to draw five. The odds of drawing a specific card from that deck is one in fifty-two. The odds of drawing two exact cards from that deck is one of one-hundred-and-four, and so on. The odds of drawing a specific hand is extraordinarily high. The odds of drawing that same hand, over and over again is astronomical. These tests are unbiased, and without outside factors Ma'am. We have been initiating these tests across the country for months now, and your boy is the first to get successful results." He paused as she continued to smoke. "Now, I won't deny that the possibility, slim though we may consider it, does exist that we are indeed mistaken. We will take him to the Earth Temple to make absolutely certain that we are correct. If we are, he will begin his training. If not, he will be returned, and nothing will have changed."

Their mother staid silently smoking for a few more minutes before resuming the conversation. "Mr. Wooling, I would never tell my sons this to their face, but they are very important to me. As you can see from our house, we don't have much. We have a simple mundane life here, but it's ours."

"Ma'am, you-"

"I'm not going to stop you." She told him, cutting him off. "Not if you're right. I always knew my sons were meant for something greater than this simple life, no matter how content they were. At some point, your child must leave the life you made for them, so they can find their own. I didn't think it would be so soon, or it would be this grand, but if my son wants this, I have no choice but to support him."

"I am… happy that we can reach an understanding."

"My son on the other hand, may be the one needing convincing."

Wooling looked over his shoulder to the living room, and saw that the prospective Avatar was playing on his handheld Gamerman 2. "I suppose you are right about that Ma'am. May I?"

"I think you'll have to." She said, putting out her cigarette. The two got up, and made the short walk over to the boys.

"He-Ping?" Wooling asked.

"Yeah?" Ping said, not bothering to stop his game. Sheng devoted his entire attention to the conversation.

"You understand the circumstances you find yourself in?" He asked.

"I'm the Avatar." He said dismissively.

"Yes, you are." Wooling said. "As such, you will need to master all four elemental arts."

"Okay." Ping said.

"We shall be the ones preparing for your instruction. Many of our members are masters of their arts, and shall serve as your teachers."

"Uh-huh."

"To that end, we will be taking you to the Earth Temple. There we will confirm your status of the Avatar, perform a small medical examination, and examine your prowess as an Earth Bender. Once we believe that you have mastered your native element, we shall then proceed to instruct you as a Fire Bender, and so on."

Ping staid silent, sighing vehemently. Sheng went over to his younger brother. "Hey there. It's gonna be okay Ping. It'll be an adventure. You'll be learning to become a real-world hero. Besides if you're do something stupid and find yourself in trouble, I'll be there to bail you out."

"Actually-" Wooling said. "I'm afraid we can't allow that." The boys attention was now fixated on him. "I'm afraid that the Avatar must make this journey alone."

"Why…" Sheng found himself speechless.

"That can't be true!" Ping said, springing to his feet.

"I'm afraid it is young man."

"Why? Why can't Sheng come along?"

"It is the old ways. We can't waste resources on your brother, he is not the Avatar, you are. The Avatar cannot make his journey with any trappings of possessions or relationships." He told him. "It is for the best."

"No it isn't!" Ping yelled, causing an echoing silence. He then ran out of his room causing Wooling and Sheng to follow him, only to see he had jumped out the window, and was riding an enormous beast out into the fields.

"Am I to assume that that's the Armadillo-Lion?" Wooling asked.

* * *

Sheng-Li walked by the concrete sides of the riverbed, until he found his brother in the shade under the bridge, mindlessly playing his Gamerman 2, with Ronin's head resting softly on his lap. Ping didn't do anything as Sheng walked up to him.

"Hey."

"How did you know I'd be here?" Ping asked, not looking away from the tiny screen.

"This is where you went when May-Ling dumped you." Sheng said, lowering himself next to him. The two staid silent as the water trickled past, and the spring breeze ruffled their hair.

"I shouldn't be freaking out." Ping said.

"No. You should. This is something you should freak out about." Sheng said. "I thought you would want this. You get to be a hero. An Icon. Weren't you saying just this morning how cool it'd be to be the Avatar?"

"It's not that." Ping said. "It's not. I said it'd be cool to _know _the Avatar. I can't be the Avatar. I'm not a Hero. I can't be. I'm Ping. He-Ping Pan. I go to Gaolong High. I'm not strong. I'm not cunning. I'm not charismatic. I'm me. I don't get to be the hero. People like you, you should be the hero."

"Me? I'm not-"

"Yes you are." Ping said. "You're always there to keep me out of trouble, even when I don't want you to. Don't tell me you weren't disappointed when you heard it was me. I could see it in your eyes. You're stronger than I am, faster than I am. I mean, just look at what happened today! I got my but kicked by Huang. A school bully. You had to save me from that. How am I supposed to save the world?"

Sheng took a moment to compose his response.

"I thought out of anybody in the world, you'd want to be the hero."

"Well I can't. Alright? I mean maybe…" He paused. "Maybe that'd be nice. In an anime, or manga book, or, or even a mover, but this isn't that, it's real life, my life. It's gonna be hard, and I'm going to leave my life behind, and I don't know if I can do it. I'm not going to be able to win just because I'm the hero. The real world doesn't work like that."

Sheng let his brother calm down before trying again.

"You know; You don't sound much like an unofficial member of the Galaxy Rangers."

"Oh shut up."

"I'm just saying, you were going on and on about that code of yours." He said.

"That's different."

"How?"

"Because then I was going to be fighting a school bully." Ping exclaimed. "I was getting back at the bully and my ex on the last day of school. It didn't matter if I won or lost, I just wanted to get back at them. After, I could go back home, and continue my life. But this…" Ping's voice was caught in his throat as he found himself unable to finish his own thoughts. He tried again, letting his feelings and thoughts flow out. "I asked you if you ever think about the future."

"Not if I can help it." Sheng told him.

"Yeah, well I have." Ping said. "I'm gonna get good grades throughout school. I'm going to go to Ba-Sing-Se University, and become a video game designer. I'll found my own company, and make video-games for a living. I'll choose a location to base my company, Republic City maybe, and I'll pay for mom to live there in a nice house. I'll find a cute girl who likes me for me, and is into the same things I am, and marry her. I'll have kids, and every holiday we'd all get together in moms place and celebrate it together."

Ping paused for a moment.

"But now? I'm expected to throw away all my plans, for something I didn't ask for. I woke up today the same as any other day, and now my life is not my own."

Sheng looked at his brother trying to find words of comfort, but found them getting caught in his throat.

"So, you're not a hero, and you don't want your current life to be thrown away." Sheng-Li surmised.

"Yeah." Ping said. "I mean… I at least imagined… if I ever found myself not knowing what to do, you'd always be there. I mean you always have."

"Well I have to." Sheng-Li said matter-of-factly. "And I'm going to do it one last time. Ping. You need to grow up."

"What?"

"What I mean is-" Sheng-Li grunted as he got up, causing Ronin to perk his head in his direction. "It doesn't matter what you think, and what you're worried about. Yeah it's not fair, but who cares? You are just one person out of the entire world. If you have to sacrifice your normal life for everyone else just do it already. _That's_ what being a hero is all about. Do you know how many people would kill to be in your position? And here you are, moping about it under a bridge! Grow up! I don't think it's fair either. Yeah, I thought it would have been cool if it had been me. But it's not. So get over it!"

Ping just sat there sulking. "You're right." Ping said reluctantly.

"Of course I'm right." Sheng said. "Look, life doesn't always go as planned. But we can't just insist that it always goes our way. You might not like it, but if you're going to live the rest of your life, and you're going to have to, then you'll have to just take this new direction and make it your own. Got it?" Ping kept quiet. "I said, do you got it?"

"Yeah, I got it, I got it." He told him.

"Good." Sheng said. "Ronin, come on, we'll be needing a ride back home."

* * *

Back at their place Ping went back up to the member of the White Lotus. He glanced to his brother for support before saying what he needed to be said. "My brother convinced me I needed to go. I might not like it, I might not have wanted it, but what I like or want isn't important. This is my destiny regardless, and I can't run, and I can't complain. So whatever it is you want me do, or to let go of, then… I'll just have to do it."

Wooling stood there, and stroked his beard. "While that is a very nice sentiment young man, it is quite unnecessary."

"Come again?"

"You see, I was just in contact with fellow members of my order, and after some back and forth, we came to the conclusion that while our Order is quite traditionalist, we do live in a changing society. Thusly, we have decided to permit you to bring any possessions you deem necessary, and, if they wish, travel for your family."

Sheng-Li was both incredibly annoyed and relieved. "So um, I guess you won't be getting rid of me after all." Sheng said.

"Ha-Ha." Ping said before collapsing.


	3. The Earth Temple

After that episode the Order member left to meet up with his other members stating he would be back in the morning to deliver them to the Earth Temple, and that they should bring only what items they deem necessary, to keep quiet of the nature of his visit, and to say their goodbyes.

The three of them went to packing, their mother constantly over their shoulders telling them not to forget useless things like underwear and toothbrushes, smelling like cigarettes all the while. They packed some clothes into some old moving boxes along with some other things, books, posters, mangas, action-figures, VHS', beloved family photo's, yearbooks, video games, cassette tapes, and any vestiges of their childhood that would fit in the leftover space.

In a rare moment, the boys mother insisted on spending one last night of family time together, cooking a large dinner, forcing them onto the same couch so as to be in physical contact, and spending the night doing of all things _talking_.

Sheng did his best to keep his composure during all this, while Ping couldn't fail to be melancholy. They lost track of time as the sun set, the sky turned dark, and the street lights turned on, but they kept going as it no longer seemed to matter.

Ping retired to his bed when at last they let the need for rest take them, and he lay in his clothes in his bed, his covers only coming to his waist, staring at the ceiling of his room, where rays of yellow light came in from the streets to hit his walls. At the foot of his bed lay a box full of as much of his old life he could take with him, while the pictures of his family, friends, and childhood heroes cast their gaze across different direction on his wall, and glow in the dark sticker stars dimly tried to stay lit, and reassure him for the next day.

He lay awake, unable to think, unable to sleep, as hours slowly faded by.

* * *

"OUT OF YOUR BEDS YOU LAZY LUMPS!"

"AHH!" Ping leaped out of his bed and onto the floor. He looked around dazedly until he saw his mother standing in the door frame, and recognized her as the origin of his rude awakening. "Couldn't you have tried to wake me up gently?"

"I tried, it didn't work." She said with a sad, but nevertheless still ruthless grin. As she left, the memories of what he was doing today came back to him. With a groan, and an empty feeling in his stomach, he got up, and looked at his alarm, and out the window where a small orange sun hazily rested on the Horizon.

"This isn't morning, this is dawn!" He moaned, as he blinked over his tired eyes. "And here I thought I'd get some sleep over spring break."

Moving as slowly as possible, he put his jacket back on, and tied the laces of his sneakers in a sloppy bow, and sat hunched over, waiting for his mother to return.

"Good you're up." She said glancing over him. "Well then, all that's left is to grab your stuff and… go." She said.

Ping nodded, and took that as his cue to grab his box, and get the next part of his life over with. He was joined by his older brother, who looked even more dead tired than he did. They shared half a glance, and no words as they followed their mother to the front door where Wooling was waiting.

"Ah, good to see you boys up, and ready to go." He said, trying to sound as merry as he was allowed to be. "If there is anything left for you to do, I suggest you do it now." He told them.

"One second." Their mother said. "Boys put your boxes down." They did as instructed, and their mother embraced them both in a hug. "Now I'm going to miss you. Try to stay safe, and don't do anything stupid. I'll always be here for you if you need me. And if you forget to write or call regularly, I will hunt you down, and you both know you don't want that right?"

"Right Mom." The boys said.

"Alright then." She said releasing them. "I packed you boys lunch for the trip." She said grabbing two lunch boxes, one which had Planetman on it, which was Ping's, and one that had the Galaxy Rangers on them, which was Sheng's. "I love you."

"Love you too Mom." They told her.

With that, they took their stuff, and their lunches, and walked outside, with their Mom waiting by the door, where a blue truck was waiting on the road.

"I was hoping for a limo." Ping mentioned, as Ping was reminded how early it still was with the streetlights still on.

"We opted for a more low profile option." Wooling explained. As the two boys walked closer to the trucks, Ronin popped his head from truck-bed.

"What's Ronin doing here?" Sheng asked.

"He is obviously the young Avatar's Animal Guide." Wooling explained. "He must accompany the Avatar."

"Oh of course the pet can come along." Sheng said. "Whereas I am a matter of some debate." He said, putting his box in the back with the giant cat, who's ears drooped at Sheng's prescence. "Don't worry, I'm not mad at you Ronin." Sheng said, scratching him behind the ear.

"We'll have just enough room to fit all of us, but it may be a bit cramped." Wooling explained.

The two boys looked at each-other. "Dibs on the window seat." Ping said.

"Dude!" Sheng cried.

"Called it."

"I'm pulling Older Brother Privileges." Sheng said.

"Can't. Avatar. Avatar's get the window seat." Ping explained.

"You're going to be pulling that card a lot now aren't you?" Sheng said.

"Everytime I can get away with it, yes." Ping said. "Now get in so I can have the window seat."

Sheng complied as Wooling was the first to get in, then Sheng, and lastly Ping, who got the window seat he fought so hard to achieve. A large man with rippling muscles was at the wheel. He gave the two earthbenders some friendly hello's that the two were too tired to return. With only a minute or two, they car was started, and the long drive began.

Their mother walked out on to the street to wave them goodbye, which the boys did their best to return, and she staid there until there were a speck on the horizon, and staid there until the speck had disappeared, and staid there just a bit longer.

* * *

The drive from the Boys small town of Gaoling to the Earth Temple was a long, long, long one. The sun made it's merry way into the sky, starting day proper. The boys did their best to sleep off the journey, an effort made easy by their early awakening, and the fact that they were teenagers. But even their considerable skill took them only so far.

They passed by fields, and grasslands, and fields, and forests, and fields and rivers, and fields, and streams, and fields, and hills, and fields, and lowlands, and fields, and highlands, and fields, and fields, and fields, and fields.

They took out their lunch boxes which consisted of all their favorite foods and snacks, and a few that weren't, and took their time to eat it and chat. They took out their Gamerman's and played various games with annoying tunes and sound effects that the White Lotus members were trained to ignore. When their batteries began to die, they switched them off, and fought over the radio station. They played I-Spy for a few hours, which eventually became fruitless when they reached the beautiful and plentiful, but nevertheless quite boring mountain ranges. They talked, and chatted, and argued, and whined, and did their best to annoy the occupants of the vehicle to no avail, and finally the mind numbing boredom numb their minds as Ping rested his head on the window, and Sheng held his head back and stared at the roof.

This lasted for another hour until finally, finally, they arrived.

"Is this it?" Ping asked, staring out the window.

"It is indeed. Shall we go out and stretch our legs then?" Wooling asked. They opened the door, and in short order got out the car, and onto the steep sheer mountain slope.

"You mean we have to climb that!?" Sheng exclaimed at the sight at what was likely ten thousand steps before they saw a green rooftop at the mountain peak.

"That is indeed correct." Wooling said.

"And you expect us to do it?" Sheng asked incredulously.

"Well… you did express your wish to join the Avatar on his journey. I don't hear him complaining."

"Don't worry just give me a moment." Ping said, looking almost completely upwards. "You know, I suppose it was too much to ask that one of my past lives build the temple closer to a soda shop, or a video rental store."

"Oh good to know I can blame all this on you then." Sheng said, heading to the back of the truck. "Move on out you lazy cat, you're coming with us." He said to their pet as he grabbed his box.

Ronin grumbled and glared at him, but complied, leaping off the truck bed, causing it to bounce slightly.

After a brief few moments of stretching their legs, that were too brief and too few, they grabbed their stuff, and made their arduous climb, and complained all the way while their was still mountain air in the breath.

And at last, what seemed like an eternity of travel as the two collapsed at the final step.

The Earth Temple was old. Exceedingly old. It was an old legend that said that the temple was older than the mountain it stood on, which had been raised by an Earth Avatar long ago.

So, it should have come as no surprise to Ping that the place had no electricity.

Now there were newer parts to the temple, built around the structure following the Order's ascent to power following the Hundred-Year War that were considerably newer, relatively speaking, set up to guard the place. There were training grounds, places for meditation, spiritual sanctuaries, archives, and probably over a dozen other things. Which was still devoid of electricity.

Ping had expected to suffer, but he did not expect to endure under these conditions.

Rather unceremoniously, Ping and Sheng had their possessions taken, and Ping was taken without delay into the compound, to a specific room, whereupon the way he saw many people in blue and white robes. Once he had been successfully ferried away, during which his brother tried to follow, but was barred on the door, he found himself in the middle of the temple, probably the oldest part of it.

"Okay. I'll bite. Where am I?" Ping asked.

"You are at the summit of the Earth Temple." Wooling stated. "Here we will confirm our suspicions regarding you young man."

"Okay good. We can get this whole business over with." Ping said. "So what will you guys be doing? Sit in a circle and chant? Burn some smoke and incense? Have me walk a bed of coals? Go on a spiritual journey?"

"Look at this wall."

Ping had to stop himself from saying the first thing that came to his mind, because he was too much of a gentleman to mutter it. He spent a few moments to carefully compose his response.

"That's it!?"

"That is it."

"All this fuss to look at a wall? Are you kidding me?"

"You see young man-" Wooling said, walking through the hall with him. "Each Temple is made and constructed with the aid of the Avatar themselves. The temple as it is today, or rather it's summit, was constructed roughly two and a half millennia ago. Each Earth Avatar henceforth has added to the mural on this wall their likeness, and a small part of their spirit. Your Avatar Spirit should, if you do indeed have it, resonate with the history of this temple, and you should be the one who will have no without a doubt of your destiny."

It was a little tough to swallow, but Ping accepted the old mans words. He looked at the mural that was before him. The sky was dominant, as five figures posed dramatically perched on mountaintops shrouded by the tops of the clouds. Very fitting he decided. Dramatic. Heroic. Larger than life. He actually kind of liked it. He took a few steps closer as he tried to remember the names of the Avatars pictured from his history class.

The last Earthborn Avatar was Avatar Kyoshi. She was pictured to the side, far from the center Avatar who had founded the temple, or so they say. His gaze was drawn to her eyes, different from the rest of the wall, made of stone and earthy paint, her eyes were gem like and glistening. He saw them gleam and glimmer and then flash.

* * *

_And then in a sudden dream, she saw, everywhere around her, and through her own eyes and all at once; Chin- The Conqueror, with his amassed innumerably strong armies filling every last inch of the fields of the peninsula they could. He stood as tall and defiant as he could be, almost announcing to the world he expected her to submit out of his shear presence._

_She did not. Tired of this small man, and his petty ways, she decided to show him the strength of her power in an attempt to teach him humility. She summoned the strength of her ten thousand lifetimes, and their power and knowledge flowed perfectly throughout her entire body. _

_Taking a step forward, she caused a great fissure that buried itself deep into the earth dividing them. _

_And there Chin stood stubbornly despite the change of ground._

_With the will of her spirit, she summoned fire from it's deepest depth to surround her home, holding it, protecting it, guarding it._

_And there Chin stood stubbornly before the heat of the earths heart._

_Using her fans, she called forth each of the four winds to her side, commanding a fierce gale to push, and pull, and blow and tear._

_And there Chin stood stubbornly despite the great winds stripping the clothes of his back._

_Lastly she pulled the ocean back and forth, back and forth, filling the fissure, filling the fire, filling the air, pushing and pulling her entire home, further, and further away._

_And there Chin stood stubbornly as the ocean ate away at his footing, until the ground beneath him fell, and he too, at last, stubbornly met his death, at the hands of the Avatar._

_And so was born Kyoshi Island, named in her name._

* * *

Ping blinked, and staggered slightly. His brain struggling to understand. He knew what happened, but making sense of it stalled all higher functions.

"Are you okay Young Man?" Wooling asked.

"Yeah." Ping said. "Kinda. Still- just- trying to get straight what happened is all." He said. "Give me a few moments."

Wooling complied, and the next several minutes were silent, as Ping tried to listen to his thoughts. As last, he stopped, and turned, and said- "I am the Avatar."

* * *

"So you were a chick in a past life?" Sheng asked.

"That's what you get out of that?" Ping said indignantly. "Dude, I just experienced what is likely one of the most important and defining moments of our country's long and very storied past. Like in person. I saw the creation of an actual geographical portion of the map."

"So were you hot?" Sheng asked.

"Oh shut up."

"Come on, I have to have a little fun at your expense." Sheng said.

"Yeah, well not funny." Ping muttered. "There really is no turning back. It's all real."

That quietened his brother as the two sat on many of the steps as the sun rested on the mountain tops. A chill mountain breeze blew at them as they buttoned and zipped their jackets. They sat together in silence, their thoughts an island from the other.

"Well my dear boys, with this development in hand, more members of the order shall be here shortly." Wooling explained walking up to the two. "We shall give you the full tour, and as soon as the master appears, you shall begin your tutelage to master Earthbending. He shall assess your skills, and be your teacher while you are to stay at this temple."

"Cool." Ping said.

"You must forgive us if we seem a bit short staffed at the moment." Wooling said. Indeed, the two brothers found it difficult to find anyone other than him. "There have been many ah, recent developments, so we are somewhat short-handed, but do be assured that in the upcoming months it shall be more lively around here. Tomorrow we shall even have a grand tour of the complex, how does that sound?"

The two boys gave as much of a noncommittal answer as they could.

"Good. However, considering the events of the day, I suggest we take you to your rooms, where you may make yourselves more comfortable and rest for the night. We will have a sparse dinner, unless you would prefer to sleep?"

"Starving!" Ping cried.

"Very good then. This way."

The two found themselves through the newer temple, but their rooms lay inside the older temple, underneath it, in the mountain. Wooling explained that it was originally built like that to conserve space. They each got a room for themselves, small, no windows, no light, no heating, just a chest of drawers for clothes, and a wooden bed with cotton sheets.

They set their possessions down, and tried to start a new life.

* * *

The next day found the three of them eating breakfast earlier than they had any right to, in some kind of cafeteria, also underground in the old temple. The meal was as sparse as dinner, and lacked all the sugar, salt and grease they were used to in their more traditional diet. They complained, as they were supposed to, but ended up eating anyway as they were that hungry.

Soon as they were done however, Wooling announced one of the Order members had arrived and wanted to see him. Before he could understand the situation however, Ping was separated from his brother, and found himself in a room in the new temple that reminded him of his school's first-aid room.

"Hello there." Said a doctor looking fellow amicably.

"Hello." Ping said, still confused. "What am I here for?"

"Samples." The doctor said cheerfully brandishing a rather intimidating needle, which caused Ping to back away slightly.

"What do mean by sample's?" Ping asked warily.

"Oh no need to worry, it should all be painless."

"Should?"

The doctor, who was an older man in a surgeons attire, likely ten years older than his mother, with stark black hair that it's fair share of gray streaks, with a number of wrinkles and skin spots. He walked over to Ping, stripping him of his jacket, and dabbing his bare arm with a cotton ball doused in a liquid that chilled his arm and caused his skin to tingle.

"I'm sorry, I don't think I got you're name." Ping said as the good doctor readied his needle. "I'm He-Ping. Call me Ping."

"My name is Doctor-"

"YOW!" Ping yelped as the Doctor painfully jabbed him, and extracted what was likely a pint of his blood.

"There-there." The Doctor stated. "You're going to be the Avatar, are you not? It would do you well to develop a little pain tolerance." He said.

"Great bedside manor Doc." Ping said rubbing his arm gingerly. "Is that going be all? Please say yes."

"Oh no." The Doctor said. "Nononono. Tell me young Avatar, have you had all your shots?"

* * *

After the experience with the mad doctor, Ping was taken away, lighter than he had been this morning by about a pint, and was told he would soon be meeting his new Earth Bending master, who had just arrived. They were escorted to the training grounds on the backside of the new temple, and found it empty.

"So, this Earth Bending master? What's he like?" Sheng asked.

In response to his question, a behemoth of a man launched himself out from the ground with a mad yell high into the air before landing and creating a crater before them, ejecting dust around him, his bare torso rippling with muscle, he gave a fearsome and terrifying war cry that caused the boys long hair to stand up before introducing himself.

"I! A MAN WHO HAS TRAVELED THE WORLD YEARS OVER! I! A MAN WHO HAS PERFECTED HIS BODY AND MIND FOR BUT ONE PURPOSE! I HAVE SEEN THE EARTH, KNOWN IT, LOVED IT, BECOME ONE WITH IT! I SHALL BE THE AVATAR'S INSTRUCTOR IN THIS MOST SACRED OF BENDING ARTS!" He said complete with absolutely unnecessary posing before facing them. "YOU MAY KNOW! ME! AS! THE BOULDER!"

The three of them stood in shocked silence for a few moments.

"Nice to meet you Mr. The Boulder." Ping said extending his hand.

"That's Sensei to you." The Boulder said, taking his hand and thoroughly crushing his hand. "And am I to assume that you young man are the Avatar?"

"ThatsrightMrtheBoulderSenseiIammynamesHePingcallmePingnowpleasestopcrushingmyhandpleasethankyouverymuch!"

He released his hand and gave a merry jaunty laugh. "I like you, unintimidated by my MANLY physique and demeanor. Your stature is SMALL and WEAK, but I am CONFIDENT that I have a slight chance to sculpt your young and nubile body into something STRONG and statuesque such as myself without significant permanent damage."

"You don't say." Ping said who was too busy being in pain to actually visualize what his new friend was talking about.

"Splendid, simply splendid." Wooling said. "You shall be teaching these two boys how to master Earthbending."

"AND SO I SHA- wait what?" He said. "There is a SECOND young vulnerable body for me to take under my wing?"

"Hello Mr. The Boulder-Sensei." Sheng said. "I'm Sheng-Li Pan. Call me Sheng."

"And WHO might you be?" The Boulder said coming within an inch of his face.

"Sheng-Li Pan. Call me Sheng." Sheng told him. "I'm Ping's brother."

"And WHO is Ping?" The boulder asked.

"Him." Sheng said pointing to his brother.

"Oh your name's Ping, nice to meet you." The boulder said, shaking Ping's hand again.

"Ack! That is correct." Ping said, squawking in pain.

"So let THE BOULDER get this straight: YOU are the avatar, but YOUR BROTHER is not?" The Boulder asked.

"Correct again." Ping said.

"Older brother." Sheng made the point of making.

"But you're normal." He asked.

"Yes."

"Well…" Ping said.

"So why are you here?" He asked.

Sheng gave the Boulder an angry glare before starting. "Because my little brother is an idiot who'll get himself killed without me, and would collapse if I wasn't there to help him."

"Hey!" Ping said.

"HMMM…. THE BOULDER must PONDER this." He said, turning away, mumbling to himself, or at least that's what the brothers thought. He then twirled around and faced them again. "ALRIGHT!" He bellowed. "THE BOULDER has decided, that while his TRUE and MAIN duty to the Order is to instruct the young AVATAR, so long as you are willing to LEARN, you may attend my lessons, and APPLY the knowledge you gain. BUT BE WARNED! For if I find you a hindrance to my instruction of the young Avatar, than you shall find yourself CUT LOOSE like a stone in the vast ocean."

"O…kay?" Sheng asked. "Wait, so then you weren't going to have me train with Ping? What?"

"Oh, yes, well you see-" Wooling said sheepishly. "The Order did agree to let you accompany your brother on his spiritual journey- however we did not necessarily state that you would be undergoing that same spiritual journey with him. So, it would have been up to you, and the various instructors if you would be undertaking the same instruction."

"Why shouldn't I?"

"In case you proved to be a distraction, or even a hindrance to Avatar, rest assured though, I never doubted you for a second my dear boy."

"…Gee thanks." Sheng said. "Thanks a lot. So what now?"

"WELL my dear pupil- I shall now, ASSESS, your current capacities and STRENGTHS of your Earthbending PROWESS, and I shall get a grasp of how much your former Master taught you."

"Who? Coach Lu?" Ping asked.

"Oh, I do believe that this is the part where I leave." Wooling said, walking away.

"What do you mean?" Ping asked.

"Where is he going?" Sheng asked.

Just then they heard another bloodcurdling scream from on high. They looked to the sky and saw their new teacher highlighted by the sun before creating a new crater between the two boys.

"WHAT THE WHAT!?" Ping yelled as the dust settled.

"ARE YOU NUTSO!?"

The boulder stood in his new crater, which stood only about five feet away from the original. "THE ONLY WAY TO MEASURE A MANS STRENGTH IS TO FACE THEM IN COMBAT!"

The two brothers exchanged glances before switching back to their new teacher.

"No it's not!"

"Who told you that!?"

"HAVE AT YOU!"


End file.
